Knockdown container



Dec. 13, 1960 A. A. PALEY KNOCKDOWN CONTAINER Filed Nov. 15, 1956 AWN 40f 4 45 5 a u 6 VVAV,.AV.AVZ f0 flG WWG wGi V/AVHAVMAV My wwg wme u #0 mn k R.. F y 3, Mm m 0 Wow 3 1 mm A m M M w a 5 M @2 2 4p L, 410 Z 6 v V2M United States Patent KNOCKDOWN CONTAINER Albert A. Paley, 84-31 125thSt., Kew Gardens, N.Y.

Filed Nov. '13, 1956, Ser. No. 621,771

10 Claims. (Cl. 220-4) This invention relates to containers, and moreparticularly to carrying containers adapted to be supplied to the userin knocked-down or disassembled condition.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved,knockdown-type container or carrier for articles of merchandise, whichmay be readily fabricated by existing equipment in the form of separatecomponents or parts, and which may be easily and quickly assembled atthe time of use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved, carrying-typecontainer as above set forth, which is light in weight, and extremelystrong and sturdy despite its knockdown construction.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improvedcarrying-type container as above set forth, which may be readilyeconomically molded of plastic or plastic-like materials.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved container asabove outlined, wherein the separate components or parts may becompletely, speedily assembled without requiring the use of tools.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a novelcontainer as characterized, which is so constituted that plurality ofsuch containers when completely assembled and either filled or empty,may be readily stored or stacked one upon another.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of animproved container of the type described, wherein damaged or brokenparts or components may be easily and quickly discarded and replaced bynew similar components, thereby reducing maintenance costs and loss frombreakage.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved,carrying-type container as above set forth, which is ideally suited foruse as a case for bottled goods.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawing accompanying this specification, similar characters ofreference indicate corresponding parts wherever possible in the severalviews, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of an improved knockdown containermade in accordance with the invention, said container being illustratedcompletely assembled.

Figure 2 is a top or plan view of the container shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section, enlarged, of a cornerportion of the container.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a lower portion of thecontainer, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a view like Figure 4, but showing a wall panel in theprocess of being attached to the bottom plate of the container.

2,964,210 Patented Dec. 13, 1960 As shown, the carrying-type containerof this invention comprises a bottom plate generally designated by thenumeral 10, having a plurality of marginal edges constituting itsperiphery, one such marginal edge being indicated at 11 in Figures 4 and5. The container further comprises a plurality of side panels 13, 14, 15and 16, there being the same number of side panels as the bottom plate10 has marginal edges, in this case, four.

By the presentinvention, novel means are provided for joining the loweror bottom edges of the side panels 13-16 to the bottom plate 10, and forjoining juxtaposed side edges of the side panels to each other. As shownin Figures 4 and 5, cooperable interlocking means are provided on themarginal edge 11 of the bottom plate 10, and on the bottom edge 18 ofthe side panel 13. This means comprises a tongue-and-slot connection,which may be interlocked by relative broadside angular movement betweenthe bottom plate 10 and the side panel 13, as indicated in Figure 5.

Preferably, as shown, the bottom edge 18 of the side panel 13 has a pairof upper and lower flanges 20, 21, and the lower flange 21 has anupturned lip 22, thereby forming a slot 23 which is partially closed.The upper flanges. 20 have inwardly facing abutment shoulders whichengage the outer marginal edge portions 11 of the bottom plate 10, asclearly shown in Fig. 4. Also, the lower flanges 21 have undersides orbottom surfaces which merge with the lower edges of the side panels 13,14, 15 and 16, said lower edges of the side panels and undersurfaces ofthe flanges 22 being adapted to engage a floor surface or the like, tosupport the container thereon. The bottom plate 10 at the marginal edge11 has a downwardly-extending flange 25 on which there is carried asemicircular tongue 26, said tongue being adapted to be received in theslot 23 of the side panel 13. Also, the lower flanges 22 of the sidepanels 1316 have upwardly facing, elongate abutment surfaces adapted toengage the downwardly extending flanges 25 of the bottom plate, saidupwardly facing surfaces and the lower flanges 22 which have saidsurfaces constituting abutment shoulders which carry the weight of thebottom plate 10, all as clearly shown in Fig. 4. It will be readily seenthat, to assemble a side panel to the bottom plate, the panel is firstheld flat with respect to the plate and thetongue 26 placed in the slot23. The side panel is then swung upward, using the tongue 26 as a pivot,as indicated in Figure 5. During such movement the flanges 20, 21, lip22 and bottom edge portion 18 of the side panel 13 will be'made to yieldslightly. Upon completion of the movement, as illustrated in Figure 4,the said parts may resume their normal positions, and the side panel 13will be securely locked and retained on the bottom plate 10. All four ofthe side panels 13, 14, 15 and 16 are assembled to the bottom plate 10in the same manner, and said side panels are provided with mitered sideedges 27 and 28 engageable with each other to provide a tight, matingfit.

Also, in accordance with this invention, I provide cooperableinterlocking means between the side edges of the side panels 13-16, bywhich such side edges may be securely locked to each other so as toenable the panels and bottom plate to constitute a fully assembled andrigid container. In accomplishing this, referring to Figure 3, I providemutually engageable ribs 30 and 31 on the'side edges, said ribs having ashape such that when they are placed together, back-to-back, theyconstitute a dove-tail rib. I further provide locking strips 33 havingdove-tail grooves 34 and concave surfaces 35, said looking strips beingdisposed at the four corners of the con tainer and being positioned bysliding them downward over the dove-tail ribs 30, 31. With thisorganization, the side edges of the side panels 13-16 may be easily,quickly and securely locked together so as to enable the panels,together with the bottom 10, to constitute a rigid, box-like container.

It will be appreciatedthat theprocedure of attaching the side panels13-16 to the bottom. plate maybe very easily and quickly carried outwithout theuseof tools, and thereafter the procedure. of.insta;lling thecorner locking strips 33 is quickly andeasily carried. out,again'without the use of tools, whereby the .entire boxlike container isvery easily assembled, even byan unskilled person.

The bottom plate-10 may be providedwith a. plurality of spaced,downwardly extending ribs 37 which are adapted to'engagethesupportingmsurfacefor the container, thereby to bear some oftheweight placed on the bottom plate. Between the ribs .37, openings38.may be provided, to enable any liquid or moisture .to run. out of thecontainer.

I further provide partition-members 40, Figures land 2, in the form ofelongate strips havingdoublewalled, diamond shaped portions 41, andhaving triangularend .portions 42, said end portions being receivablein. U-shaped nests43 disposed on the inner surfaces of the-larger .pair

of the side panels 14, -16. Itwill be apparent ,that the partitionstrips'dl! may thus be easily and' quickly slipped into place, restingby virtue Of thC-fOI'CE of gravitycnthe lower transverse portions of thenests .43. The side panels 13, 15 may further be providedwithpositioning means 45 in the form of strips having curved portions46, corner portions 47, andbase-portions 48'bywhich latter the strips 45may be-isecured to the side panels 13, and 15.

The various components as above illustrated and described may be easily,quickly and economically fabricated as molded plastic-partsyand anysuitable cement or adhesive maybe employedwhere-such parts are to beunited,*as is the casewith the positioning-strips 45 and side panels 13,15, and the nests-43 and side-panels 14, 16.

For the purpose of'enabling a number of containers to be stacked orstored one on top ofanother, I provide on the side panels 13--16,outwardlyofiset rim or lip-portions 50 I thereby forming supportingshoulders 51 on which the bottom edges of a'superposed container may besupported for stacking purposes. 'Also, I-provide in the side panels 13,15, hand openings 53 by which the containers may be readily carried andmanipulated.

It will be understood that, in accordancewith this invention, I haveprovided by the above'construction a greatly simplified, knockdown,carrying-type container suitable for many purposes, as inparticular forthe carry ing and storing of bottled goods. Thecontainer is strong andsturdy, light in weight, and its use Will greatly reduce maintenancecosts inasmuch as damage to any ofthe components does not requirediscarding theentire container, but instead merely replacementiofthedamaged component.

Variations and modifications may be; made within the scope of theclaims, and portions .of -the improvements may be used without others.

I claim: a

1. A knockdown container comprising a bottom plate having a plurality ofmarginal edge portions provided with downwardly facing, elongateabutment shoulders extending along said edge portions; apluralityOf'SldS panels equal in number to the marginal edge portions of thebottom plate and havingbot-tom'edge portions mating and' engageable withsaidtmarginal edge-portions, said bottom edge portions having upwardlyfacing,ielongate abutment shoulders engaging the first-mentioned.abutment shoulders of the bottom plate andpc'arrying the weight of thebottom plate, and having downwardly facing supporting surfacesconstituting the lower edges of the side panels and adapted to engage afloor surface or the like to support the container thereon; cooperable,releasable interlocking means on said mating edge portions, holding theside panels against outward movement, said means comprising elongatetongue-and-slot connections characterized by mutually engaging andabutting surfaces of said tongues and slots which extend substantiallyin planes parallel to the respective side panels, said connectionsthereby holding the side panels to the bottom plate against relativeoutward movement at the said bottom edge portions, said side panelshaving engageable side edges; and a plurality of locking, strips, onefor each pair of engageable sideedges of the side panels, said lockingstrips and side edges having cooperable interlocking means releasablyholding the side edges of the side panels together.

2. The invention as defined in-claim 1 in which there are four marginaledges on the bottom plate, in which there are four side panels, and inwhich there are partitions extending between one pair of opposite sidepanels, andseparableconnections between the ends of saidpartb tions andthesaid pair of side panels.

3.;The invention asfdefined in claim 2 in which there are positioningstrips for holdingindividual articles of merchandise, carried by theother pair of, side panels, said strips being disposed at the same levelas the said partition strips.

4. The invention as definedin claim 1 in whichthe tongue-and-slotconnections comprise slots disposed adjacent the bottom edges of the.side panels, and tongues disposed onthe marginal edges of the bottomplate.

5. The invent-ion as definedin claim 4, in which the outer surfaces ofthe side panels are substantially flat and planar, and in whichthe slotsadjacent the bottom edges thereof. areformed by pairs of inwardly.projecting upper and lower flanges.

6-. The invention as defined in claim 5 in which'there are upturnedlipson the lower flanges, havingthe said upwardlyfacing abutment shoulders.

7.. Theinvention .as'defined in claim 1 in which the 7 bottom plate hasa plurality of spaced, depending ribs for engagement with a supportingsurface to brace' the plate. :8. The invention vas definedin claim 7 inwhich the bottom plate has perforations disposed between the said ribsto lighten the plate and provide for egress of moisture from thecontainer.

9. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the said locking stripshave dove-tail grooves, and in which the cooperableinterlocking means onthe side edges of the side panels compriseribs having a shape such thatwhen two juxtaposed ribs are brought together they constitute adove-tail.

. IOQAknockdown container comprising abottomplate having a pluralityof,marginal edge portions provided with downwardly-facing:elongateabutmentshoulders extending along said edge portions; a plurality'of side panelsequal in numberto the marginal edge portions of the bottom plate andhaving bottom edge portions mating and engageable with said marginaledge portions, said bottom edge portions havingupwardly facing, elongateabutment shoulders engaging the first mentioned abutment shouldersof thebottom plate and carrying the weight of the bottom plate, and havingdownwardly facing supportingsurfaces constituting thelower edgesof theside panels and adapted to engage a floor surface or thelike to supportthe container thereon; cooperable releasable releasably holding the sideedges of the side panel to- References Cited in the file of this patentgether, said tongue-and-slot connections comprising slots UNITED STATESPATENTS disposed ad acent the bottom edges of the side panels andtongues disposed on the marginal edges of the bot- 851,097 Krllse 1907tom plate, the outer surfaces of the side panels being 5 1' Keith 9substantially flat and planar, and the said slots adjacent 1196380Mofiett 1916 the bottom edges being formed by pairs of inwardly pro-1,252,489 Pearson 1918 jecting upper and lower flanges, there beingupturned lips 2,160,631 Y May 1939 on the lower flanges, and said lipshaving the said up- 2,182,201 Hams 5, 1939 wardly facing abutmentshoulders of the said tongues be- 10 2,643,788 Burrows J 3 9 3 ingsemi-circular in cross section. 2,758,742 Farrell Aug. 14, 1956

